Today’s Quick-Tip-Tuesday idea comes from a conversation I recently had with the talented and witty Dee at Deeconstructed. Dee has noticed that many people use the words veneer and laminate interchangeably.

I thought this was a great topic for Q-T-T because when I first started painting furniture, I didn’t know the difference between veneer and laminate furniture!

Here’s a quick explanation of the difference between the two:

Wood Laminate is a manufactured layer of plastic, paper or foil that has been printed with a wood grain pattern. It’s like a ‘picture’ of wood that is bonded onto less expensive wood composites; usually MDF or particle board. With proper preparation, laminate CAN be painted however laminate can NOT be stained.

Here’s an example of a wood laminate dresser drawer that has been lightly sanded.

Below is another close up of a wood laminate dresser leg. On both these examples, you can see the wood composite underneath the sanded off laminate. A sure way to recognize wood laminate is when the grain does NOT follow through your piece.

Wood Veneer is a sheet or thin layer of ‘quality-natural-hardwood’ that is adhered to a lesser quality wood surface. Wood Veneers give the impression of a more desired quality wood without being as costly. Veneers also make it possible to create designs and match grain patterns. With proper preparation, wood veneer CAN be painted OR stained.

Here’s an example of a badly water damaged wood veneer that I removed for a re-style. The layer of veneer is lifting up from the desk along with a larger piece that has already come off.

Below is a perfectly good piece of wood veneer… until I botched up the left side by sanding through the veneer to the wood composite below!

Although laminate may be considered a sub-par product in the furniture world… wood veneer is not. A good majority of fine furniture is made with a combination of solid and veneered wood. I hope this quick-tip helps you next time you’re out shopping for your next re-style.

If you have a question, opinion, or story on your experiences with veneer or laminate furniture, I’d love for you to chime in!

Also, feel free to catch last weeks Q-T-T here … and have a terrific Tuesday!

Reader Interactions

Comments (33)

Denise, Great info. I have a 30 year old dresser. I know parts are solid wood, prob birch? But there are Veneer OR Laminate parts. Is the only way to tell the difference is when i start sanding? I want to know if I have to paint or if I can use Gel Stain. Is there anyway to tell the difference BEFORE I begin? Thanks so much!

im getting a whie nightstand wth a wood veneer top. does it have enough protection from scatches and water marks as is?can i use min wax polyurethane clear gloss to give it further protection and if so should i use oil or water based?

Hi Chrissy! If you purchased this nightstand from a store, I would think it has proper protection unless its an unfinished piece. That said, yes, minwax poly is great and waterbased is excellent protection/durable.

Very informative post and question and answers too, thanks a lot. I have a question, In India many people get their wardrobes and kitchen cabinets made of plywood and paste with a choice of wooden laminate to the same. After this is done, how to protect them(their color finish, scratches, dust) for a longer time by applying any coat or spray. Look forward to hear from you soon

Hi rkreddy! Wooden laminate can be painted, stained and sealed and top coated like any other wood. I’m not sure what type of products are available in India, but a wax or poly top coat will provide good protection. 🙂

Product Composition
Century Laminates’ MonoCore is
produced using a unique technology.
These laminates are made of a single
design paper, the reverse of which is
sanded.
The decorative side is treated using
melamine resins, while the core paper
layer is impregnated with special resin to
maintain uniform colour on the edges.

I know this isn’t a recent post but was hoping you might have some advice.. I am fitting a wardrobe for my daughter and I want to paint the doors with dark blue chalk paint to match the walls. I have the option of buying laminate or veneer doors – which do you think would get a better painted result? My guess is the veneer?
Thanks, Bianca

I don’t know if the hutch I bought is veneer or laminate. It’s definitely real wood inside but I’m not sure about the drawer fronts. they are smooth and when I sand them they do not get rough and nothing chips off. I do see fine cracks in the surface going in the direction of the grain

i bought an old table that I wanted to refinish but after your great explanation, I still can’t tell if it is veneer or laminate. The top of the table has some small bubbles and what looks like scratches. I thought it was veneer but I can’t scrape pieces easily. Any ideas?? I really want to refinish and restrain the top but am not sure I can.

Without seeing it, I couldn’t say Abby. From what you’re describing (small bubbles), my guess would be laminate. If you’re planning on restyling it anyway, if you were to cut into the bubbles with an utility knife or putty knife, that may give you a better idea. If you cut into a bubble and it’s a thin layer of wood, it’s veneer. If it’s more like a plastic sheet/paper – it’s laminate. Good luck.

Hi , just went through your post very informative but I still find my self confused , I am about going into door production and my doors are made from real mahogany plywoods and at finishing we usually introduce veneersof diffferent partens for esthetics sometimes the veneers are made from mdf, my question does wood Iself come as laminate , or is it that the laminate part also come like veneer to protect the wood surface itself , then whats the cost implication of using the veneer and laminate which is more cheaper and durable

Abideen, I hope I’m understanding your questions correctly. Laminate is always the cheaper option because laminate is like a ‘plastic image’ of a wood grain that is applied onto sub-par wood. Veneer is a thin sheet of REAL wood (which can be stained and slightly/carefully sanded) that is applied to another wood surface.

I have a kitchen table that i am not sure if the top is laminate or veneer. What grit paper do you recommend to make sure i dont go though if its veneer? does all the gloss have to be completely gone to stain? thank you so much with was a great explanation and the pictures helped a lot.

Kim, if your kitchen table is laminate it can NOT be stained. If it’s veneered, the grit of sandpaper will depend on what type/how thick the veneer is and may also depend on the condition the table’s in. I’m guessing from your comment you don’t want to totally sand it down. Hand sanding with 220 grit to lightly sand down a topcoat and then using a product such as General Finishes Gel Stain may work nicely if you’re staining darker than the original stain. Having said this, if the table has a high gloss lacquer or shellac finish, this method may not work. It may be best to test an inconspicuous area before taking on the entire table.

A laminated surface is often used on furniture made with particle board or MDF to create the ‘illusion’ of being a higher quality wood. In non-techie lingo, it’s like a plastic photograph of wood that is placed on a piece of furniture to make it appear to be ‘real’ wood. This is cost efficient for the manufacturer and the buyer.

This is by far the most helpful explanation I’ve seen regarding the topic, but I’m still a bit confused! I feel like I understand and can explain the difference, but when I look at this dresser I want to paint I can’t tell what the heck it is! The drawer fronts and top are both very smooth to the touch so I am thinking they are laminate, but how can I be sure? The side panels (very thin and cheap feeling) feel like there’s some texture there…but I can’t tell if it’s just because it’s old and maybe the surface is coming up a bit. Oiy! I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Abbey I totally get it! When I first started restyling furniture I found it very difficult to tell the difference between veneer/laminate. Feel free to email me a few close up pics of your dresser and I’ll do my best to get back to you asap.

Hi,i have the same problem and i hope that you can help me. I have kitchen cabinets that i would love to paint i just don’t know if it’s wood veneer or laminate. Please help! I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Hello just wondering what type of wood is acceptable to repurpose for sale? Does it have to be real wood to be of great value? Or could it be a plywood and veneer piece that is very sturdy?
I found an old dresser that appears to be plywood and veneer but feels very solid and sound is it okay to price this the same as a real wood piece?

Great question Cassandra! ALL types of wood furniture are “acceptable” for re-styling and selling. You can find, re-style and sell some gorgeous veneer/and or laminated pieces and price can be adjusted in accordance to the quality of piece you paint/stain.